Best 4 Not Your Average Ham Bean Soup Recipes

HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven (you can also use a thick-bottomed soup pot, but may need to stir more often to prevent burning) over medium heat for about 3 minutes or so, until it's nice and hot. Add the oil and the onions. Cook until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped celery and carrots, and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes. Add the beans, followed by the water. Increase the heat to high.
• Add the bay leaves, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, black pepper, paprika, and chicken bouillon paste. (If you don't have chicken bouillon paste, simply use chicken stock in place of the water.) Bring to a boil.
• Stir in the ham. I like to cut it into big shards/shreds for extra texture. (Sarah likes hers cubed and orderly though. I won't judge either way!) If you're using a ham hock instead of ham, you can add it in now.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low so the soup is at a somewhat energetic simmer--it should always be at a low bubble. Cook for 4-5 hours, stirring periodically. If the soup isn't cooking down, you may want to increase the heat to medium. Every stove is different, so don't just set it and forget it. Periodically check liquid levels.
• In the last hour of cooking, add the fresh parsley, and cook for another hour. It's done when the beans and carrots are tender, and the soup is thickened. If you used a ham hock, fish out any bones, and chop up any large pieces of meat and skin (keeping the skin is optional) that don't break down during the cooking process before serving.
• This soup is quite forgiving. If it ends up too salty for your tastes, just add water, and lightly mash some of the beans to release their starchiness and re-thicken the soup. If you are reheating the soup and there is not enough liquid, just add 1-2 cups of water to bring it back to your desired consistency.

" NOT YOUR AVERAGE" HAM & BEAN SOUP!

Steps:

• Place ham bone, onion, celery, carrots and water in a large stock pot.
• Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer, skimming foam occasionally.
• When meat is starting to separate from the bone, remove bone and allow to cool.
• Add bouillon, I used Ham Flavored Better Than Bouillon, garlic salt and pepper.
• Add beans, whatever kind you like, tomatoes and continue to simmer.
• Remove ham from bone and return ham to soup mixture along with cubed ham.
• At this point I recommend you taste test the soup for seasonings, but be careful, it doesn't bite your tongue, it grabs your throat!
• I served this with corn bread and fresh fried potatoes with bacon & onion. It gets better after a day or two in the refrigerator.

BASIC HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the beans, sorting out any broken or discolored ones. In a large pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and the beans and remove from heat. Let beans sit in the hot water for at least 60 minutes.
• After the 60 minutes of soaking, return the pot to high heat and place the ham bone, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mustard and bay leaves in the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 60 more minutes.
• Remove ham bone and discard. Stir in the chopped ham and simmer for 30 more minutes. Season with ground white pepper to taste.

OLD-FASHIONED HAM AND BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Prepare the beans: rinse and discard broken or discolored ones. Bring water to a boil and flavor it with salt. Remove from heat and add the beans. Let the beans soften in the hot water for at least 1 hour.
• After soaking, place the pot on high heat and add the ham bone, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mustard powder, and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and let the soup simmer for 1 more hour.
• Remove the ham bone and stir in the chopped ham. Let it simmer for 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with ground white pepper to taste. Serve hot and enjoy!